Opportunities for Development

During your time at University you will be presented with many opportunities outside of your studies to develop yourself as an individual with a range of interests, experiences, abilities and knowledge. Some examples are listed below:

The Manchester Leadership Programme

Developed by the Careers Service in conjunction with leading graduate employers, the Manchester Leadership Programme (MLP) can boost your personal and professional development, and makes a valuable addition to a graduate CV. It is an exciting course on modern-day, socially responsible leadership, combining a taught academic unit with volunteering experience, and leading to an award.

Part-time work

Part time jobs provide you with an opportunity to make money and develop skills. Through part time work you may develop skills such as communication, teamwork, using your initiative (problem solving) and awareness of what makes a business successful (business awareness). The Careers and Employability Division (CED) can help you find jobs on campus and jobs with employers off campus. Visit the MLP Careers and Employability Division web pages to find further information on jobs and where to start.

Employer Placement

There are many different types of placement, for example, vacation, semester and year long. The CED strongly advises all students to consider taking a placement with an employer, as you will develop evidence that you possess skills employers' value. Even if you are not on a sandwich degree, placement is worth considering.

Educational Placement

Opprtunities exist for you to enhance your degree at the University of Manchester by studying abroad. Placements abroad can provide evidence of skills such as self-reliance and adaptability valued by graduate recruiters. Please visit the Study Abroad Unit web pages for further information. The Careers and Employability Division also provides valuable information and advice on working overseas.

Clubs, Societies and Sports

There are a wide variety of club, societies and sports available at the University of Manchester so there is bound to be something to interest everyone. Remember employers recruit people who make a difference in the workplace. So, do not simply join a club, society or sports team — get involved by taking a position of responsibility, fund raising or coaching. For further details visit the clubs and societies or sport pages.

Volunteering

Giving up some of your time to do something useful can be a really valuable experience for you personally, whether in your spare time during the term, during your vacations or in a gap year after university. It will also help you to develop new skills and use the ones you have to good effect. If you are interested in doing voluntary work or getting involved in the wider university community, below is a list of suggestions and contacts to help you find a rewarding way to use your time.

Students and Schools is an umbrella term for a range of different widening participation activity that students can become involved in. Some of these activities are campus-based, others are in schools. Also, some work is voluntary (with travel expenses reimbursed) and other work is paid.

Charity work and not for profit organisations: the Careers and Employability Division and Students Union websites have links for a variety of charities and not for profit organisations which are seeking volunteers.

Student Societies: The Students Union is run by students themselves and offers a lot of opportunities for election to posts each year; have a look at their website. This will also tell you about the student societies run through the Union.

Student Representation: within your School you are strongly encouraged to get involved with the running of the School. Student representatives serve on the various school committees; elections are held each year. Each School will have its own arrangements for student representation so look on your School Intranet for information.

Mentoring: a mentor is a second or third year student who is available to provide advice and information on aspects of study and student life to first year students. All mentors attend training that develops key transferable skills such as communication, team working and leadership. You will be awarded a certificate from the University for your engagement in such a valued activity.

As previous research has highlighted, it is often the mentor who benefits the most from this interaction, improving in personal and professional areas that many employers value — including effective organisational skills — which is great to put on a CV and proves a useful discussion topic at job interviews. There is also an added bonus that many new friendships are formed as a result!

For more information on mentoring, visit the Faculty of Humanities Peer Support web pages.

 

Please make sure that you make use of the University Careers and Employability Division.